Two executives from Direct Line are rumoured to be in the running for the vacant role of chief executive of Royal & Sun Alliance.
They are Ian Chippendale, executive chairman of Direct Line, and Steve Clarke, who stepped down in June as finance director of RSA.
RSA said it will not be ready to announce a successor to Bob Mendelsohn when the group reports its third-quarter results on Thursday.
The company is also not expected to announce a replacement for chairman Sir Patrick Gillam, who is due to retire next year.
The news is a further blow to RSA after it dropped plans for a rights issue of up to £1bn. The insurer said it will instead outline disposal options including sales of businesses in Scandinavia and Australia.
